AN unqualified fitter lied to a Hampshire couple about his professional background as he fitted a new gas boiler in their home, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Jonathan Blacklock assured them he was Corgi approved and appropriately filled in a trade log book to that effect after he had completed the work. But that was a lie, said prosecutor Ethu Crorie.

"They specifically asked if he was Corgi registered and he answered with a yes,'' he said. "Had they known he wasn't registered, they would not have employed him.

"The father-of-two had set himself up as H20 Plumbing and Heating Services in June, 2005, and the couple, Timothy and Sandra Sherred, contacted him after seeing his advert in Yellow Pages.

Blacklock was paid £550 for the installation, but the boiler later developed a minor fault and they discovered he was not Corgi registered.

Mr Crorie said when the Trading Standards Department mounted an investigation, he did not respond to their letters.

They eventually made contact with him over the phone when he told them he had replied to their first letter "ages ago'' but the authority never received a reply.

Blacklock, 42, of Grenville Gardens, Dibden Purlieu, admitted two charges under the Trades Description Act and one of deception. He received a three months suspended sentence coupled with 100 hours of unpaid work. In mitigation, Peter Glenser said he was only asked once if he was Corgi-registered and then filled in the log book dishonestly.

"There was no premeditation. The installation was fine but the boiler malfunctioned several months later. He accepts if he had told them the truth, they would have told him to get out. Like a fool he took a chance and thought he could get away with it.

"Mr Glenser said Blacklock had run up credit card debts of £40,000 at the time and had not replied to Trading Standards because he was suffering from depression.

"Proverbially he put his head in the sand and hoped they would go away.''